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Friday, May 19, 2017

Roll with It

Having to go places always leaves me with one thought: I need more clothes; shirts the most. It's easy to order camisoles in my size online, so I usually lounge around the house in a tank. When I go out, I like to cover up a bit. Ordering nicer tops online isn't so easy... They never fit me the way I think they will. *Face palm* Wait, I have skills! Why am I not making more of my own clothes? It's just an over-shirt, so it can be lacy. And so, another top has been started.

This project will help cover three goals of mine: The first, obviously to make a nice blouse. The second, to clean out my yarn stash. (When I find it, there is part of a project using this yarn that will be a "From the Stash" article.) And third, to expand my wardrobe to include something other than black, blue and grey.

I bought four balls of this Hipster yarn online as an impulse buy; two in the color you see (Roses) and two in another color. The super-soft, stretchy bamboo blend makes a squishy fabric that's lightweight and warm at the same time, so I've been picky about what to make with it. Also, I don't like pink and I hated the way the short-changing colorway worked up.

Currently working on another project with a larger-than-usual hook, I got the idea to try the same with Hipster. Starting off with double crochet and then working up to triple crochet stitches, the yarn changed colors so quickly that they didn't have a chance to pool.

I'm still not sure if I like it, because it's one of those multi-colors that you just have to like... And I don't. It's loud. But, I've decided to continue anyway. If I'm going to add some color to my wardrobe, I might as well do it with something outrageously colorful. Plus, as I expand the stitches into double-triple and even taller stitches, the changes are happening faster within the stitch to help tone down the bright pops of red. Even so, I'm still fighting the urge to rip the whole thing back.

Nope! Roll with it. This project works up so quickly that there won't be much time wasted if I hate it. I'm hoping the first wash will help relax the yarn to make the stitches look neater. Heavily kinked from being in the stash for years, it's not making the prettiest work. Perhaps nobody will see the messy stitches through all those colors. It's almost blinding.

I do wish this yarn was available in solid colors, but it's not (yet?). It would be nice to mix this with a coordinating color to make it a little easier on the eyes. Perhaps the problem is my dislike of pink, red, or more than two colors in general... Is it just me? I'm willing to bet that many of you will agree that the colors just scream at you.

Work still continues anyway. I'll finish it, wear it, and see whether I get compliments or strange looks. Regardless of dislike for the color, I'm excited to share how simple this project is! You won't have to use super-tall stitches if you don't want to! (If you do, you can check out my old tutorial here.) Instead of writing a pattern, I'm going to create another "make-it-your-way" lesson that will teach you how easy it can be to make a perfect-fitting garment. But first, to find a solid-colored yarn for photos. And if I'm going to make more than one top, I might as well make different versions. Maybe I'll keep it the same... We'll have to wait and see.

I haven't been home much lately to work on the pattern for the still-unnamed scarf. It needs to be done before I start working on anything else, so that will delay the tutorial for this top. Seriously, I have to fight the urge to put the scarf on the back-burner because I'm so excited to share this new project! But, no, there are people waiting on that pattern to be done. I will do the responsible thing and work on that as much as possible, and I can keep crocheting more projects while away from my PC. In the meantime, the opportunity to get the for-sale scarf pattern for free is still open to all who comment on either of the following posts:

6 comments:

Love the colour of your new top. I'm still doubting to make one, I'm a 'little' bigger than you, so I need more yarn and more time ;-) Therefore I look forward to your 'make-it-your-way' lesson!Have a great weekend, Sigrid

Sigrid, you won't need that much yarn! This will be a very versatile way to make a top... It could be a tank or have sleeves, and you could make it dense or lacy. (The yarn I used ended up stretching under its weight, so I got more length out of it than I thought I could.)Enjoy your weekend as well! :)

Hi Jenny,I find it hard to crochet garments. Shawls are different, the will always fit. But garments... Just imagine how much time and effort and energy you've put into it and it just isn't right in the end. I'm planning on making a vest for the next granny-spiration challenge (maybe I should get started in order to finishing it in time...) but all the doubts I put into this planning kind of scares me off too.But: first things first -must concentrate on the fair now!Have a great week,Marjan

Marjan, I have the same fear over garments... At least I'm lucky that I can usually dump it on The Kid if it isn't right for me.But never mind that! I have a whole list of ideas in my head for projects like this - Easy to make, especially to begin; and it's top-down, so there isn't much ripping back to adjust the fit. I hope it will inspire you to try.(Psst... This IS my project for the next Granny-Spiration Challenge! I'm keeping the rest secret till then.)

I will admit that I do not think I'd buy this colorway for myself, but that yarn! 1 - I love Deborah Norville's Yarn; 2 - it looks sooooooooo nice! I am gonna need to get me some of this.AlexandraEyeLoveKnots.blogspot.com

LOL, a sale is the only reason I bought this color. I have another blue/green variegation that I'm eager to try out, but I still wish it was available in solid colors.It is a very nice yarn, though! It (hand) washes well, dries fast, has amazing drape, and it's so super-soft. In this lacy stitch, it's even sort of springy/swish-y - I want to make a twirly skirt in it. It's like everything I could ever dream of in a yarn... Except for the colors. ;)